Why ‘One of the Smallest Boys in the World’ Has Thousands of Facebook Fans

Rodney and Ashley Walker want people to know their son, Jacob. The Walkers aren’t looking for fame or fortune. They’re looking for awareness and answers.

Jacob, 4, stands at about 2 and a half feet tall. His stunted growth is from Opsismodysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism. He’s one of the smallest boys in the world, and kids with his condition don’t usually live past 4 or 5 years old, according to his parents. Doctors still know little about Jacob’s condition. In the mean time, the 4-year-old with “an eccentric personality” is busy living a normal, happy childhood in Chesterfield, Va.

The Walkers created a Facebook page for Jacob so that people could see their son for who he is, not how tall he is. Already, he has more than 11,000 fans. They also hope that by sharing his story, they’ll grab the attention of a doctor who may be able to help him.

“By having [Jacob’s] story out there, it gives us the ability to be in the ‘driver’s seat’ of how people see him rather than getting questioning stares from curious people that aren’t sure if it’s OK to approach us,” the Walkers told The Mighty in an email.